When Hazel Met Emerald
by CrystalHippo
Summary: Taking Place During The Summer After Ginny Weasley's Sixth Year At Hogwarts, She Confesses To Harry Of Her Affair, Breaking Off Their Relationship. Only To Then Realize She Wants What She Can No Longer Have
1. Telling Harry

Takes place during the summer after Ginny's sixth year

As I lay with him in the field, the twilight shimmering around us like a dozen faires, I knew I couldnt continue lying to him anymore. It had been going on for months now and Harry of all people deserved to know. I sat up in the long grass and looked down into his puzzeld green eyes.

"Harry..." I began

"Its okay Ginny, I know" I stared at him with a look of shock and pity I'd strung him along for so long and now it was ending like this.

"I'm so sorry harry, I didnt want us to end like this but this is the way it has to be" I watched as a single tear trickled from his eye "But how do you know? does anyone else?"

"No. I saw one of the letters you sent to her Ginny, I just hoped that maybe if I could prove I love you enough you'd stay with me, youre the only one I ever want to be with Ginny, not Cho or Parvarti, not anyone only you, and thats why" he pulled himself up onto his good knee, the other was still heavily bandaged from the battle of hogwarts, he put his hand into his pocket and fumbled to find something.

"Harry dont do this, please dont do this"

"I have to Ginny, all the time i was on the run from voldemort, I was thinking of you, I need you in my life Ginny, you complete me, your the only thing close to a family i've got left. So" he pulled out a diamond studded silver ring "Ginerva Molly Weasley, will you marry me?

I looked down into his handsome face only blemished by the lightning shaped scar, like many he had suffered great injuries in the battle of hogwarts and had scars covering his arms and chest, "Harry i cant do this, as much as I love you, we can never be together. I need to be with her we belong together." Tears were falling from both our eyes, he stood up and for the last time kissed me. With that I knew it was the end, he had never kissed me like that, the kiss said everything that he couldn't, a wave of emotion flooded over me as I realised that I had inflicted a greater pain to him than anyone else, more than Umbridge, more than Bellatrix even more than Voldemort. I had broken the last part of the great Harry Potter, I had broken his heart.

"I will always love you" he whispered through a painful voice and with that he turned and disaparated leaving me crying alone in the field, his ring at my feet and the darkness closing in around me.


	2. Harry's Last Gift

The rest of the summer passed by in a blur, the rest of the family left me alone after I had come home without Harry the night of his birthday. Mum however had tried to find out what had happened between us and after a few days reluctantly gave up her quest. I sighed as I sunk back onto my bed, I fondled the emerald pendant which hung delicatley around my neck, Harry had given me it the night before he had left to hunt down horcruxes'. He had crept into my room whilst I was asleep and silently plased the pendant on my bedside table with a note telling me that if I ever needed him all I needed do was ask and he would find me. If I ever needed Harry it was now, I closed my hand around the necklace and whispered,

"Harry", as soon as I spoke the word a warmth filled me. A warmth like his arms wrapped around me during the cold christmases he had spent here, a warmth like the sun that shone as we lay hidden in fields, a warmth like his lips pressed against mine. I couldn't believe that I had ever let such a magnificent man slip away from me.

I had been so foolish, I never 'loved' the woman I supposedly did. She was nothing more than a drunken night in Hogsmeade in which Hermione and Luna had persuaded me to 'experiment'. I had never expected that it would go as far as it had done but it had, our relationship was nothing more than physical unlinke with Harry. Even though it wouldn't get him back I had ended our relationship by owl telling 'her' not to contact me again. I pushed thoughts of her away as I returned to packing my school trunk, for tommorow I would be going back to Hogwartsfor my final year alongside Ron and Hermione who had decided to take their Newts with me as they missed their final year of schooling.

My new Quidditch jersey sat atop a beautifully wrapped gift which had arrived on my birthday, I had to see what it was before I left, so placing my jersey carefully in my nearly full trunk I took the lid off of the box. Delicatley folded inside was Harry Potter's Gryffindor Quidditch jersey from his first year at Hogwarts. As I gently picked up the jersey it glowed an emerald blaze, I shieled my eyes and felt the jersey change in my hands. I gasped as I saw a gleaming Firebolt broomstick with an elegant hand crafted message on the handle.

"_Ginny, I'll Never Need A Broomstick To Fly Aslong As I Have You". _My tears silently fell onto the polished handle.

"But he didn't have me anymore" I thought "I'd driven him away". I fell backwards onto my pillows clutching the Firebolt to my chest, tears spread slowly across my face as I slipped into a painful slumber.


	3. Anything Sweet For You Dear?

I woke up to Mum walking in and dropping my breakfast tray in shock at the gleaming broomstick cradled in my arms. The sound of the plate smashing jolted me awake.

"Ginny dear, where did the broomstick come from?"

Still half asleep I managed to mumble "Harry", remembering last night I began to gently cry again, I was surprised with myself for crying so much lately. Mum sat on the edge of my bed and gently stroked my hair and quietly sang the lullaby which she used to sing to all of her children. I had always taken my Mum for granted and now as she sat, warmly comforting me though my pain, I realised how much I loved Molly Weasley.

"I know who much your hurting dear, but lying in bed wont help you. We're leaving for King's Cross in at nine o'clock". With that she kissed my cheek, waved her wand at my trunk pulling in the last of my things and clicking it shut. "Locomotor trunk", the trunk began to slowly float out the door and downstairs, while she waved her wand at the broken breakfast tray sweeping it up and vanishing the mess.

After the door pulled shut I rolled out of bed and threw open the large window overlooking the apple orchard. That orchard held a lot of memories of long gone summers, days in golden sunshine and Quidditch with Harry. I stepped up onto the desk by the window, I rested my bare toes on the windowsill, the wind blew through the back of my hair whipping it against my chest and face. I felt brave. I felt excited. I felt ready. Bending my knees I launched myself out of my bedroom window and began to fall towards The Burrows garden, halfway between my window and the lawn I swung my leg over the firebolt and kicked off the side of the house. The wind tickled my bare stomach and lightly clad breasts as I accelerated out into the sunrise. Faster and further I went trees blurred past, followed by Ottery St Catchpole, then the church were I had always pictured me and Harry getting married, "No" I thought. "No, I wouldn't think of Harry today, I was going back to Hogwarts, a fresh start after all the troubles of the previous years, I dove as saw Luna's tower of a house, skimming low along the grass I spiraled up and around the house. The sun was nearly fully risen, I pushed the broom further foreward accelerating faster than 100mph, I slowed down as I approached my open bedroom window moments later, I slid down the broom handle and tumbled across the desk into my room. Standing up giggling I took the last set of clothes from my wardrobe and went to the bathroom to get ready. Hogwarts was going to be different without Harry, but that didn't mean that I wouldn't enjoy it.

"Push me Ronald" I said cheekily as I sat perched apon the luggage trolley with Pigwidgeon and Arnold in my lap, grudgingly began to push me along the platform towards the barrier to Platform Nine and Three Quarters. We watched as Mum and Hermione Casually slipped through the barrier, as the last swish of Mum's dress disapeared Ron glided the trolley through to meet them on the other side. As usual we only had ten minutes to put our luggage onto the train and each in turn get a breathtaking hug and a sandwich from Mum.

Looking into the first compartment showed a girl with dirty blonde hair, and radish earings starring dreamily out of the train window.

"Hey, Luna" I said hugging my friend as I sat down in the carriage, the train began to pull away as we began to talk about our summers the conversation lasted until the sun I had flown with that morning began to lower in the sky casting an orange hue across our carriage, Hermione had dozed off onto Ron's shoulder and seemed content on staying there, Luna had taken out the latest copy of "The Quibbler" while me and Ron held a whispered conversation about the new Quidditch season. Neither of us had been awarded the Quidditch captain position for Gryffindor and wondered who Mcgonagall could have chosen.

A low rumble came from Ron, he blushed and looked down towards his stomach. "Typical" I thought, stiffling a laugh. His cry's were soon answered by the voice of the trolley witch sliding our compartment door.

"Anything sweet for you dear?" she asked. I walked towards her and was about to ask for some chocolate frogs, Ron was _still_ collecting the cards, when an all to familiar voice said,

"Packet of Droobles and whatever the lady wants", I gasped slowly looking up to see Gryffindor robes, a Quidditch captain badge, and the emerald green eyes of Harry James Potter. That was the last thing I saw before falling forwards into his awaiting arms.


	4. Back To Hogwarts

"Ginny?" A soft, comforting voice spoke my name as I groggily opened my eyes. Looking down into my eyes was Harry Potter, I was sprawled across one of the compartments seats with my head resting in his lap. Hermione was still asleep, Luna still wore her vacant expression just from the other side of the compartment after moving to let Harry lay me down, Ron sat so still it was like he was petrified his eyes were glancing from Harry, to the door, to me and then back to Harry.

I couldn't believe that he was going back to Hogwarts with us, surely the Aurors held the fact that he had killed voldemort in a higher esteem than any qualifications he could have recieved while at school.

"You came back, Why?" I poured emotion into that sentance as I gazed up to him. He bent low over me and gently whispered in my ear,

"You". His voice was strained, threatening to crack. His eyes glistened. I slowly raised my head closer to his, turning slightly as I went in for a kiss. He pulled away from me sharply, as if waking up from a dream. "No, I came back because I lost you once and I can't lose you again. I want to be with you Ginny but," his voice faltered. It was clear he didn't want to be saying this "I just need some time to get over whats happened".

I realised what he was saying, he needed to learn to trust me again, and I was going to do everything I could to make that possible. "I understand" I said with a cautios smile. Judging by the fact that the sun was still just visible in the horizon I reckoned that we were still quite the way off from Hogwarts. Snuggling deeper into Harry I drifted off into a cosy sleep.

"Wish they'd bloody hurry up" grumbled a hungry Ron. Like every year he was "starving" while we watched the new first year students get sorted into their respective houses. Finally as Rachel Winds joined the Slytherin table, newly appointed Headmistress Mcgonagall waved her hands and food sprang up upon every surface. I laughed as Ron squealed in delight and began piling mounds of everything onto his plate.

I reached towards a dish of bolognaise just as Harry did, our fingers touched and subconsciously gripped the others. Ron stopped mid-chew glancing at us, Hermione drew in a breath, time seemed to slow as hazel gazed longingly into emerald, Harry blinked back into reality and slowly pulled his hand away before getting up and bolting from the great hall, the roar of the door as it flew open with a wave of his hand stifled the heart stopping cry that scrathced from his throat.

I sat stunned, madly contemplating what had just happened all through the rest of the meal and Mcgonagall speech, only stirring back into the real world as she waved us all off to our respective common rooms. Ron went to hold my arm but I shook him off and drifted zombielike into the crowds.

"Ginn-" he began,

"Leave her Ron" Hermione said lovingly before beginning to bossily shepard the Gryffindor first years up towards the tower. I didn't want to go to the common room and face Harry.

"Coward" I scolded myself as I cut behind a tapestry of an eagle to take a shortcut to the seventh floor. A faint crying noise was ringing out further down the passage. I begged that it wouldn't be Harry, I peeked around a bend in the passage and saw him slumped against the wall tears streaking down his face. I pulled a piece of parchment out of my robes and waved my wand across it. I watched as it fluttered over to Harry landind in his hand, a pink glow drifted across him as the simple comfort charm spread across his body. His faced cracked into something of a smile, as I turned and ran the long way back to the common room and collapsed face down into my bed without even taking off my shoes.

I woke up grumpy the next morning with my robes swirled around me and a note stuck to my cheek were I had fallen asleep ontop of it. Rubbing some sleep out of my eye I began to read,

"_Ginny,_

_I'm holding the Quidditch tryouts on the 17th, would really appriciate it if you could help me out?_

_Love Harry xx"_

My grumpy persona melted as I read his "love". Giggling I walked to the bathroom to get ready for the start of my last year at Hogwarts. It was going to be fun.


	5. Halloween

The days leading up to the tryouts flew by and the butterflies that flew in my stomach flew faster with each minute. I could barely eat the eggs and bacon Hermione forced onto my plate on the morning of the 17th and I eneded up walking down to the Quidditch pitch an hour early. I was planning on putting on my Quidditch uniform and flying around for a bit, unfortunatley someone else had the same idea. I almost fainted again as I walked into the changing room to find a stark naked Harry Potter towelling off wet hair as he walked out of the shower block.

"Oh my, somebody's grown up" I said naughtilly throwing in a cheeky wink as I looked at him. Holding onto the wall to stop myself from falling over, I watched as every part of Harry's body, and I mean "every" part, burn a flaming red as he hastily threw his hands over his "private" parts.

"Ginny, what, erm, I" he mumbled as he grabbed a pair of boxers from his locker and turned around to pull them on.

"Relax Potter, nothing I haven't seen before eh?"

"Wait what?" he exclaimed,

"I grew up with 6 brothers" I explained, I let him relax a bit before I said "and there's the few sneaky peeks i've taken while you've been asleep". He fainted. Laughing to myself I sat down next to him and soothingly ran my fingers through his hair stroking his face. His skin gradually returned to it's normal colour as his eyes slowly opened. He pulled himself to his knees so his eyes were level with mine. Placing his hands delicately on my waist he leaned in and passionately kissed me, it wasn't a full on snog, but it didn't need to be. It was what he was comfortable with and I accepted that. Leaning closer still he affectionately nibbled my ear and whispered,

"Do me proud today"

"I will" I replied before pecking him on the cheek and dashing into the shower block to change into my Quidditch stuff.

The tryouts took a lot longer than I had thought with nearly all of Gryffindor turning up because Harry was captain, it was nearly 4 in the afternoon when I sat with the new Gryffindor Quidditch team consisting of me and the other chasers Demelza Robins and Hannah Williams, Ron, new twin beaters following in the mischievous footsteps of Fred and George, Adam and Chris Walker and of course Harry. He looked at us and began to speak,

"I was aiming for a practice today but thats not happening now so I want you all to go back to the castle, rest, eat and sort yourselves out and meet back here tomorrow morning for our first official practice".

A murmur of yes' spread as we trudged into the changing rooms.

Over the following weeks Harry trained us hard and relentlessly for our upcoming match against Slytherin, and before I knew it halloween was upon us along with the first of the years Hogsmeade trips. Harry kept our Quidditch practice on late into the evening the day before the Hogsmeade trip, so late that the seven of us missed dinner entirely. Harry's method of training was as hard as it was rewarding and I dont think i'd ever seen the team play better.

As a result of the late Quidditch practice I ended up sleeping in untill past noon the next day, realising that I had missed the Hogsmeade trip I grumbled and went down into the common room to see if anyone friendly had stayed behind. Sitting in his usual chair by the fireplace was Harry.

"Brilliant" I thought as I walked across to him, "Hey", I sat down opposite him.

"Hey, didn't see you leave for Hogsmeade so I saved you some food from lunch, considering it was my fault you were asleep" he said with a nervous smile pushing a plate of sandwiches towards me.

"Thags" I said with a mouthfull of sandwich.

"You'll end up like Ron if you keep eating like that" he said cheekily, I stuck my tounge out at him as he went on "Mcgonagall was in here earlier, was saying something about an announcement at the feast tonight, it's weird she doesn't treat me as much of a child anymore"

"Your not though are you. She obivously realised along with everyone else last term that your a lot more grown up and responsible than you get credit for"

"I suppose" he said arkwardly

The halloween feast at Hogwarts was always a spectacle with live bats fluttering overhead and hundreds of carved pumpkins floating around. Unlike the welcome feast I was enjoying the food and myself untill Mcgonagall made her "announcement".

She stood up from the headmistresses' chair and tapped her goblet to gather everyones attention.

"Ahem, due to the events that took place at this school last year, myself and the other members of staff deemed it fit to make this year an enjoyable one, and as such it gives me great pleasure to inform you that on christmas day this year any students in and above the third year are welcome to attend a Yule Ball." An excited whisper fluttered through the female students while a groan escaped the lips of nearly every boy in the hall. Mcgonagall shhh'd them with a wave of her hand and continued "The ball will begin at 7pm sharp and continue untill midnight andddd" she prolonged her and "As tradition gentlemen, it will be up to you to find and ask your partner for the ball"

I looked at Harry and Ron and giggled as their fourth year selves seemed to shine through, as what Mcgonagall had said sunk in.


	6. Kiss And Make Up

During week building up to the first Quidditch match of the season I watched Harry and Ron train harder than i'd ever seen them. They would stay out on the pitch hours longer than the rest of us pushing each other to their limits, with not just flying practice but muggle training exercises that Harry had heard about growing up with his muggle relations, often returning to the common room well past curfew cramped under the invisibility cloak.

The atmosphere in the common room the night before the match was electric, everyone was buzzing with excitement and at 7o'clock I watched Harry exucute one of Oliver Wood's old captain techniques, he walked up to Demelza and Hannah, tapped them on the shoulder and then scooped them both into fireman's lifts and carried them to the dormitory stairs. In the opposite corner of the room I watched Ron do the same to the teams beaters. I watched them speak briefly and begin to stride over to me. Slowly I slid my wand out of robes and held it tightly in my hand, slightly hidden by my leg.

They stopped a good five feet away from me,

"We're not stupid enough to _try_ and carry you away" said Ron sarcastically,

"No, but your cocky enough to think you can" and with a swipe of my wand Ron was on the floor clawing at the winged bogies flying around his face. Harry laughed as I looked at him.

"Your infamaous bat bogey hex," his wand silently slid into his hand "So Miss. Weasley, are you going off to bed like a good little girl or" he paused for dramatic effect "am I going to have to make you" he said cheekily as he airily waved his wand. He was bluffing, I knew he'd never actually jinx me.

"Impedimenta" I yelled he easily absorbed the jinx into the shield he conjured non verbally. The rest of Gryffindor house had back away as I fired jinx after jinx at Harry, he was toying with me. Yawning lazily as he deflected my spells with a flick of his wrist. He threw a lazy stunning spell at me which he knew I could have easily avoided, but I decided to teach the big headed arsehole a lesson. I pretended to get hit by the spell and forced myself to fall flat on my back,

"Shit!" Harry yelled as he ran over to me, he scooped me up in his arms and carried to the stairs, holding me tighter he summoned his firebolt and began to float up the stairs towards my dormitory. The door flew upon at his command, Demelza sat bolt upright in bed.

"I'm going to sleep already!" she said then gasped when she saw me in Harry's arms. He gently laid me onto my bed and crouched next to me,

"Enervate" he all but whispered the spell, "Enervate" he said again when I still hadn't opened my eyes. One of his tears splashed onto my cheek "Ene, Ener, Enervate". He was crying and I realised i'd taken it to far.

"Gotcha Potter" I opened my eyes and winked at him,

"Bitch" his face was shining with tears as he sank onto the bed and pulled me close into him, his body was shaking as he broke down. I gently stroked his back and tried to calm him down, "I never want to lose you Ginny, I nearly did so many times last year, and" he was sobbing uncontrably into my shoulder.

"You'll never lose me Harry" I pulled him onto the bed and held him untill he stopped shaking and fell asleep in my arms.


	7. Gryffindor Versus Slytherin

The Gryffindor table was a sea of red and gold and erupted in appluase as I walked in with the rest of the team. As soon as we sat down Hermione, always responsible, began piling breakfasts onto our plates and telling us that we needed to eat atleast something before we played. After forcing down a few bites of toast it was time to head down to the pitch.

The grass was sprinkled with dew and a low mist hung out over the forest. Hopefully it would drift the other way and wouldn't affect our game. The seven of us changed in silence and sat down on benches to pull on our boots while Harry stood up to give his captain's speech.

"After last year, the professor's told us that we should encourage interhouse relations. I'd like to be able to say it doesn't matter what happens out there today, but it does. This year is mine and many of your last chance to play Quidditch for the house of Gryffindor, and today is our last chance to beat Slytherin. Now I want all of you to go out there, and play the best game of Quidditch this school will ever see."

A roar of cheers, footsteps and teenagers coming from outside told us that it was time to go, one by one we filled out of the changing rooms. Harry caught my shoulder as I went to leave. The changing room had emptied, he looked into my eyes with a fiery passion. I pushed him up against the red wall and lent in towards him. Our arms snaked across the others backs as our lips closed together tenderly. Harry hadn't kissed me like that since the night we broke up. He poured emotion into that kiss. Our magic whirled around us and cracked at the floor. After several intense minutes we pulled apart and side by side we shouldered our firebolt's and walked out onto the pitch.

The match was over before it really started, we were winning 70-10 when Harry pulled of a spectacularly daring dive for the snitch his toes skimming the dewy grass as he pulled out.

"Gryffindor win" the commentary was wasted due to the eruption of cheers and the sea of students running onto the pitch, awaiting the team the were in the process of a mid-air hug. I was slowly flying over to them, Harry had his arms outsretched towards me, I took my hands off the handle as I got closer to him.

BANG

Two Slytherin chasers rammed into my broom on opposing sides. Before I knew what was happening I was falling. I was 50 feet up as I looked down. Screaming I dropped faster and faster when I saw Harry flying at breakneck speeds beneath me. He stood up on his broom, and with the agility of a cat he leapt of his broom and soared through the air cradling me in his strong arms. His broom responded to his whistle as it slid between his legs as we freefell. 10 feet away from the ground Harry pulled us up and gently floated back down to the grass. He softly lay me down on the grass as an white faced Madame Pompfrey sprinted over to us.

As soon as I was in her hands he charged at the Slytherin's who had landed on the opposite side of the pitch. The spells that flew from his wand sent the two boys flying into the stands. His magic burst out of him in great bolts of power, his wand was a flurry of lights as he fired hex after jinx after curse at the Slytherin's. It took Ron, Adam, Chris and a fuming Mcgonagall to pull Harry away.

"Give me two minutes Professor, please?" he questioned almost silently as Mcgonagall nodded, her lips so thin they were almost invisible. He crouched down next to me and raised my head into his hands,

"I was going to ask you at the victory party, but somehow I don't think i'll be there." A sly grin shone on his face. "Ginny Weasley, will you do me the honour of being my date to the Yule Ball"

"Oh my god, yes, yes, a thousand yeses" was all I could stutter before turning bright red, being pecked affectionately on the cheek, and watching the great Harry Potter walk tail between his legs, cowering at the rage of Minerva Mcgonagall.


	8. Taking Harry Shopping

Harry spent the rest of November in every day detentions during his lunch breaks and for however long Mcgonagall felt like after lessons. It was the start of December before I could properly talk to him, the first Hogsmeade weekend was approaching and with it so did winter. More fires sprung up around the castle as the grounds turned frosty and the skys darkened. Harry had just walked into the common room with an ear to ear smile on his face, he dropped onto the squashy sofa next to Ron.

"Just finished my last detention with Mcgonagall, that trophy rooms never looked so clean", his hands had streaks of dirt and grease were he had spent the last few hours cleaning the trophies and shields in the schools trophy room.

"Well done mate" said Ron "still can't believe you wern't expelled. The way you tore into those Slytherin's was brutal"

"Yeah, well I don't think even Mcgonagall would expel the savior of the wizarding world" he said with an air of cockiness, "Oh Ginny, can I have a word?" He held out his hand and graciously I took it as he led me out of the portrait hole. He pushed the door of the first empty classroom and after poking his head inside to check that it was empty he pulled me inside.

"Wassup Harry" I asked as casually as I could.

"Ineednewdressrobes". He made it sound like the end of the world, I stiffled a laugh as he continued. "It's just your mum picked out the last ones, and well i've grown a bit in four years, and I have no idea what to buy so I don't look like a complete pratt at the ball."

I burst out laughing and had to hold onto the teacher's desk to stop myself from falling over.

"It's not funny Ginny" he said grumpily.

"Oh Harry" I patted his shoulder sarcastically and said, "Do you want me to help you find some new dress robes at Hogsmeade? Besides i've got to get some new ones myself"

"Thank you" he said with a beaming smile and a hug,

"And this is the man who defeated Voldemort" I thought with a smirk.

We walked arm in arm down the snowy high street of Hogsmeade towards "Gladrags Wizard Wear", Harry hesitated slightly as we got within arms reach of the door. I tightend my arm around his and pulled him inside after me.

"Good morning, can I help you at all?" a bubbly blonde saleswitch seemed to melt onto Harry as we walked in.

"Yes actually," I said frankly "We both need new sets of dress robes for the ball this year, purple ones if you have them"and so the saleswitch bustled about waving her wand and a tape measure she quickly took our measurements and ran off into the stock room, emerging soon after with a set of robes for the each of us, both kept in black covers so we couldn't see the others untill we were in them.

I slipped behind a long green curtain and quickly stripped off my normal clothes and began to slide into an elegant pale purple gown. I heard the curtain sealing the changing stall next to me be pulled back and Harry's socked feet pad onto the shop floor.

"Gin, you ready?" he called nervously, I summoned all of my "Gryffindor courage" and pulled back the thin curtain that was separating us. I gasped as my eyes rapidly took in every part of Harry in a way that they never had before. He looked amazing, his robes were of a deep, dark shade of purple which contrasted perfectly with my pale pastel dress. He reached out and took my hand softly into his own, he raised his eyes untill they locked their gaze onto my own. He blushed deeper than I had the first time he came to the burrow all those years ago.

He opened his mouth to speak, but all that came out was a faint gurgling sound. This made him blush even more than before, seeing the great Harry Potter absolutely speechless made me giggle. I pulled him into me and we shared a tender kiss, our hands snaked over each others poshly clad bodies. We were lost in the beauty of the moment, then the saleswitch cleared her throat loaudly. Hastily we pulled away from each other and blushing.

"I take it you want the robes?" she said sarcastically.

"Yes" we said simultaneously.

"Okay, well you two change back and i'll start putting it through the till". All her bubbliness from earlier had shattered after seeing us kiss. A few moments later we were back in our warm winter clothes and were at the till with our robes being magically packed and shrunk to make carrying them around town easier.

"So that'll be 7 galleons and 4 sickles, would you like to pay together or on your own?" the sales witch looked at the pair of us and before I could speak, Harry had poured the required amount of gold and silver into the witch's hand, sweeped up our robes and guided me out of the shop.

It was only when the snowy wind stung my face I realised what had just happened, I spun on the spot, and turned to face him.

"Harry.." he pressed a finger up to my lips,

"Don't, I wanted to do that, it's like i've said before Ginny. You my everything, and spoiling you once in a while is just one of the responsibilities that come with that title"

"I love you Potter" I said devilishly. "Now i'm hungry, lets go eat"


	9. Common Room Rumble

A gentle snowfall sprinkled over us as we pottered through the winding lanes towards Hogwarts and was ankle deep by the time we reached the steps to the entrance hall. I pulled off my knitted hat and shook a few flakes of snow loose from my hair as it tumbled down past my shoulders, Harry stood watching me with a glazed look in his eyes as he reached out and brushed a strand of hair out of my face and tucked it behind my ear.

"Erm, Harry?" He snapped back into reality and blushed furiously as I spoke,

"Oh, sorry Gin, lets get up to the common room, warm up a bit". He delicately took my hand and began to lead my up the marble staircase taking his favourite shortcuts and reaching the portrait hole within a few minutes.

The fat lady swung forward as I said the festive password of "mistletoe", as soon as we dropped into the armchairs Ron and Hermione had saved us by the fire I pulled out mine and Harry's matching dress robes, the purple and gold recipt drifted down onto the table along with the bag.

"Aren't they beautiful Hermione? And Harry, my Harry got them for me" I carried on rambling about my dress robes not noticing the scowl Ron was giving me, and how he tapped Harry on he shoulder and said,

"Can I have a word mate?", Harry dumped the rest of his shoppong on the table, with a thump as they walked away. Both myself and Hermione watched them walk to a corner of the common room and slide into chairs.

"What do you think Ron wants?" Hermione looked worried as she turned to me,

'I'm not sure, but anyway have you decided how your going to do your hair for the ball?" we carried on chatting about girly things for the next half an hour untill we heard the roar of,

"HOW DARE YOU!" Both our heads shot up along with the whole common room which had turned eerily quiet. A wooden table flew into the air sending parchment, ink, sweets and gobstones everywhere as Harry jumped up. Whatever Ron had just said had been a mistake, but no where near as bad as the mistake he then made. His hand slid his wand out of his robes as he said

"Harry calm down mate"

"EXPELLIARMUS!" The spell erupted from Harry's hand and slammed into Ron with such force his wand splintered outwards slicing into his hand, as he flew backwards into the wall so hard cracks spiralled across it tearing down hangings and portraits.

Harry loomed over Ron on the floor, his voice barely a whisper but somehow echoed throughout the silent common room, "How can you say that Ronald? About your own sister?" My blood chilled at that, my wand slid into my hand but Hermione grabbed my wrist and mouthed "No"

"It's true mate" Ron's voice was raspy because of the brick dust, "She's using you", I watched Harry twitch and turn towards me, his eyes where ghostly and empty, all the sadness he had experienced in his life seemed to be magnified as his beautiful emerald eyes gazed into the hazel of mine. Ron took his pause as a chance to get up pushing Harry away from him.

Harry barely noticed as he was pushed, his eyes still locked on mine, at that point he looked weak, he was a shell of his heroic self. A tear fell onto the common room's carpet. Many of the students that had been watching began to slide up stairs and out of the portrait hole, as Ron twisted Harry around, snatching his gaze from mine.

What happened next made me loose every ounce of respect that I once held for the brother which I had once felt closest with. "She's using you, and if I have to make you see that I will". Ron's arm swung in slow motion through the air slamming into the side of Harry's face. Hermione screamed. I screamed. The remainder of Gryffindor house, were either screaming or too frightened to move away, or forward to help. Harry just stood, still, and took Ron's punch and made no attempt to save himself.

I ran forward to try and stop Ron but Harry blasted a sheild charm around them. I was crying now, Hermione held me as tears streaked my face. We watched Ron punch Harry over and over untill something snapped. Harry ducked a punch and sprang up straight into Ron's chest landing a few punches of his own. All aspect of magic was lost as the two friends adopted muggle pub fight techniques rolling around the common room, punching any part of the other.

An armchair toppled onto them breaking them apart long enough for me to yell,

"Incarcerous" I watched my brother strain against the ropes that bound him to the chair, as I crouched down next to Harry and took his head into my hands. I dabbed at his bloody face with my sleeve.

"He's lying Harry. I'd never do anything to hurt you, again." I watched his eyes fill with life as more tears leaked from them, right before he passed out in my arms.


	10. The Last Dance

Both Harry and Ron spent the night after their fight in opposite ends of the hospital wing while Madame Pomfrey bustled over them cleaning up their multiple cuts and bruises, they left the following morning each ignoring each others gaze, Harry walking cooly off towards the common room with his arm up in a sling and Ron stropilly limping down to the Great Hall hoping to find comfort in food and Hermione.

I watched Ron limp into the hall and attempt to casually walk over to were myself and Hermione were sitting, I looked away coldly and buttered a piece of toast with slightly more vigour than usual, Hermione noticed my change in personality and glanced over her shoulder and upon seeing Ron slid slightly along the bench to allow him to slide onto it next to her.

"Gin.." he began

"I don't want to hear it Ron" I said wrapping up my breakfast in a napkin "And, only my friends call me Gin" I stood up and walked out of the hall with my breakfast leaving him gawping at his plate of sausages while Hermione busied herself with her bag trying to look sorry.

Stomping up to Gryffindor tower in search of Harry I overheard some second year girls talking,

"And when I was visiting Leah in the hospital wing, Madame Pomfrey was talking to him" one of them said dreamily.

"So?" The other asked, clearly just as confused as I was.

"Well, she made him sit down and take of his shirt, and well everybody knew he had scars from the war" I stopped walking, I prayed silently for them not to be talking about who I thought they were, "and then he waved his wand and, I think its called a glamour charm, reversed and he had this great black burn running across his chest. Pomfrey was frowning all the time she examined it and he didn't look too happy himself when he placed the charm back and put his top back on. She was trying to make him stay put but he refused, saying he had to go and talk to his girlfriend, you know the red headed one, whats her name, Ginny Weasley."

I dropped the parcel of breakfast I was carrying with a squelch and stood frozen as hot tears obscured my vision and slid silently down my face and onto the pile of food. The girl had finished her story and was now being questioned into how Harry looked with his top off by the other one. I ran all the way to the the common room practically screaming the password at the fat lady. Preparing myself to listen to whatever Harry had to say I entered the almost empty common room and saw Harry.

He was sleeping peacefully on the squashy sofa by the fire, breathing gently. I hadn't seen him look this peaceful in years and decided it was best to let him sleep, laying down next to him I gazed up at his face and thought that whatever he had to say could wait untill he was ready.

Deciding to wait for Harry to tell me what was wrong was the wrong idea. The rest of the term building up to the christmas holiday's he was distant, and always seemed to be on edge. He never ignored me but his hello's and hugs were rushed as he seemed to always be busy with work or on his way to class.

When I confessed this to Hermione she told me not to worry as alot of the seventh years had mounds of homework pilled up, but even she couldn't explain why he kept slipping off in the evenings. One minute he would be in the common room, the next gone. Harry's behaviour kept getting more and more strange, but when he was late for the Quidditch practice that he had organised even though the weather was fierce for mid December I had had enough. I stopped him from leaving the changing rooms after practice by wrapping my arms around him and kissing him fiercly on the lips.

"Gin, No, Stop." He said firmly pushing me away slightly.

"Harry" I whispered into his ear, "Sweetheart tell me whats wrong, you've been acting strange and i'm worried about you"

"I'm fine"

"Harry you know that gets more and more convincing everytime you say it" I said sarcastically looking into his eyes

"Honestly Ginny I am, I've just had alot of stuff going at the minute, but" he paused pecking me on the lips, before carrying on excitedly "tommorow the holiday's begin and next week we've got the ball"

"Since when do you get excited about balls?" I asked cheekily before wrapping my arm around him and leading him out of the changing room and through the grounds up to the castle.

Harry was true to his words and we spent the week building up to the ball almost constantly with each other, enjoying the warmth of the common room telling stories about our favourite Christmases or out in the grounds walking arm in arm through the snow.

On Christmas Eve I said goodnight to Harry and unwillingly got ready to go up to bed, he said he was going to stay up for a bit longer to work on a potions essay he'd been writing for Slughorn. I thought this was odd because he hadn't mentioned the essay to me. I watched him from the top of the stairs begin to write a few lines onto a sheet of parchment before turing round and thinking I had gone to bed get up, cross the common room and slip out of the portrait hole.

Rather than follow him and risk being seen I darted back downstairs and up another set to Harry's dormitory, seeing nobody was inside I slipped in and opened Harry's trunk pulling out the Marauders Map.

"I solemly swear that I am up to no good" I whispered tapping the parchment, I watched the names of the maruaders appear and quickly unfolded the map and began hastily searching for the dot labelled Harry Potter.

I found it gliding along the Grand Staircase and followed it intently. My heart dropped when it stopped and entered the hospital wing.

"So thats were he keeps going" I mumbled racing back into the common room and out the portrait hole. Glancing at the map I saw Harry's dot still on one the beds next to the dot of Poppy Pomfrey. I bolted through the corridors, silently praying I wouldn't run into Filch untill I made it to the hospital wing. I could hear harsh whispers coming from inside so I pulled out an extendable ear and slid it under the doorframe just enough so that I could hear them.

"Potter the situation is getting worse" came the usually hard voice of the schools strict matron "have you been applying the potion?" she questioned in a soft voice.

"Yes." Harry replied sternly, "look, I need to know how much longer I've got left"

I froze in terror, no I thought, he can't be dying, he can't be.

"Have you informed young Miss Weasley of your condition, I know it isn't my place Potter, but surely someone you claim to love deserves to know the truth." Her voice was full of emotion.

"Not yet, I planned to tell her once I knew how much longer I had, I don't want to hurt her"

"I'm sorry Harry" I stifled a gasp at the use of his first name "I should know by tomorrow, however if you dont wish to know untill after christmas"

"No," he said cutting her off "send a note up to the tower tomorrow, I want to find out"

Sighing the old matron replied "Okay, Mr Potter, you may go now,"

I wrenched the extendable ear out from under the door and bolted back to the common room, everything I had just heard spinning round and round inside my head. I stumbled through the portrait hole, white faced and teary. Hermione saw me and began to say something. I didn't need a lecture right now so ignoring her I headed straight for the girls dormitory and pulling the curtains shut around my bed, I collapsed onto it, drifting off to sleep through floods of pain filled tears.

I woke in the early hours of Christmas morning to a pile of presents at the end of my four poster, I had had a rough night and knew sleep wouldn't be easy to come by again so I picked my presents and my dressing gown up and crept quietly as not to wake the others up out of the room and up to the dormitory Harry shared with Neville and Ron who were both repeating their seventh years. I dumped my presents next to Harry's and gently climbed into the bed snuggling up beside him. Somehow sleep seemed to come almost instantly as he unconsiously wrapped and arm around me and pulled my closer under the covers.

"Well this is a nicer way of waking up than usual"

I giggled at Harry and rolled over to face him.

"Merry Christmas Gin" he said leaning in and kissing me gently, it was as if he was pouring his heart into that kiss, all my pain from last night was melting away as we kissed, sitting up we began to open our presents one at a time to see what the other had recieved. After we'd opened the usual jumpers from mum, book from Hermione and teeth breaking sweets from Hagrid, Harry opened a drawer on his nightstand and pulled out a flat package wrapped in emerald paper and bronze ribbon.

Slowly I unwrapped the parcel to find a white photograph album with an intricate gold design spread across the cover. Opening it I saw a photo from the first time Harry had ever come to the burrow, turning gently through the pages I saw photos from my seven years at Hogwarts along with ones from the summer and christmas holidays up to a photo which had been taken the week before of the two of us together curled into an armchair by the fire in the Gryffindor common room.

I hadn't felt this happy since before the war, and looking up my tear filled hazel eyes were surprised to see emerald ones also blinking back tears.

"I Love You" we both said it at the same time and in the blink of an eye, we were locked in another fiery embrace, wrapping paper and socks flying off the bed as we were caught in our own private world, stopping a great many minutes later just to lie silently wrapped in each others arms enjoying the peace of Christmas morning untill Hermione burst into the room, fully dressed, and wishing everybody a merry Christmas.

Ron's face pinkened when he saw me lying in Harry's bed wrapped up in his arms. However he held his tounge, him and Harry had reached an unspoken agrement not to talk about the fight they'd had. Dressing in our newest Weasley jumpers the four of us and Neville began to trudge down to the Great Hall for breakfast, then spending an enjoyable Christmas morning showing off new presents and playing exploding snap and wizards chess.

Looking at Harry, I couldn't help but think about last night and whhat I'd heard him and Madame Pomfrey talking about, but I decided against grilling him today and left him with Ron and Neville, going upstairs with Hermione to get ready for the ball.

At 6.45 I was ready my hair twisted up into an elegant knot with light curls framing my face, my new robes fitted perfectly and I had decided on minimal jewlerry wearing just one silver braclet which Harry had bought for me before the war had begun and he had to leave to hunt the horcruxes. I met Harry in the common room and couldn't believe how lucky I was. All my childhood fantasies had come true. I was in love with the great Harry Potter, who in his hand held a single white rose which he presented to me and without speaking he took my hand and leading me towards the great hall.

"Blimey, you are excited about this ball aren't you? I don't even get a hello anymore" I said cheekily as we walked through the corridors towards the hall. As soon as we were through the grand oak doors he took me in his arms and we slid gracefully onto the dancefloor. We danced along with the crowd untill a slow song came on and most of the students left the floor, as he drifted around he lifted my chin up and looked straight into my eyes.

"Gin, I need to tell you something" this was it I thought, he's going to be all noble and try and break up with me again, but not this time. If he's dying i'm going to be there with him all the way.

"What is it sweetheart?"

"During the final battle I got hit by a curse" his voice was no more than a whisper so only I could hear "at first I thought I was going to be fine but over time, the curse's true effect was revealed," he paused taking a shaky breath before carrying on, "I've spoken to Madame Pomfrey and she's been trying to help, but nothing's been working," Another pause, "Gin, by the new year i'm going, i'm going to"

I gave him a puzzled look and he continued, "Gin, the curse that hit me, it's been slowly taking away my sight and by the end of the year i'm not going to be able to see anymore."

I gasped, "But how? Surely there's something that can be done"

"I wish there was" he said "and if you want to end whatever we have, I won't be mad, you've got your whole life ahead of you Gin and I can't ask you give that up"

"Harry, I'll always be with you, no matter what happens,"

As we carried on dancing I looked into his emerald eyes and realised that in a few days, he would never truly look back into mine.


End file.
